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  • #16
    And yet Dr Stitzel of the CLEAR Institute tells people that there is no medical reason to have surgery, and that it's done purely for cosmetic reasons.

    However, if there really is no medical advantage in straightening one's spine, you'd think it would also mean that you don't need to shell out thousands of dollars for CLEAR treatment wouldn't you?

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    • #17
      Originally posted by tonibunny View Post
      And yet Dr Stitzel of the CLEAR Institute tells people that there is no medical reason to have surgery, and that it's done purely for cosmetic reasons.

      However, if there really is no medical advantage in straightening one's spine, you'd think it would also mean that you don't need to shell out thousands of dollars for CLEAR treatment wouldn't you?
      Good point! This is definitely up there with your editing of Simon's inner feelings about Stitzel.

      But while that really does capture reality, I should point out that I think Stitzel has stated on at lest one occasion that a few curves might be surgical. Or maybe I'm confusing him with Weiss.

      And speaking of Weiss, I heard a surgeon refer to him as a "rehab doctor." I am now questioning whether he is an orthopedic surgeon as has been assumed. I am now thinking he might have the equivalent of a PhD in rehab physiology like our very own (!) Dr. McIntire rather than an MD.
      Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

      No island of sanity.

      Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
      Answer: Medicine


      "We are all African."

      Comment


      • #18
        [QUOTE=Pooka1;91918]
        But while that really does capture reality, I should point out that I think Stitzel has stated on at lest one occasion that a few curves might be surgical. Or maybe I'm confusing him with Weiss.[\Quote]

        Both Clayton and Weiss have said that. Both are very passionate about what they do - one more vocal ;-)

        And speaking of Weiss, I heard a surgeon refer to him as a "rehab doctor." I am now questioning whether he is an orthopedic surgeon as has been assumed. I am now thinking he might have the equivalent of a PhD in rehab physiology like our very own (!) Dr. McIntire rather than an MD.
        I wouldn't be surprised at someone referring to Weiss as a "rehab doctor" since he is seriously in to rehabilitation through non surgical methods. He is also an orthopedic surgeon (states this on his home page) and he is also a Chiropractor (German School). Oh - and an equestrian as well, western school I believe :-)

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        • #19
          Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
          My father. I think it was late onset, or "senior" scoliosis. It was mild, like 30 degrees.

          There are an alarming amount of seniors, post 60 that are getting scoli now. Linda posted a while back and the numbers were high, like 65% I believe.
          Ed
          That is incredible Ed. I missed that post by Linda.
          Although my Mother was never diagnosed, I believe she had a lumbar scoliosis since she lost about 5 inches in height and had severe low back pain. Her sister had scoliosis but always blamed it on having had Polio in young adulthood. Recently, my niece (my brother's daughter) has been diagnosed with a lumbar scoliosis.
          Sally
          Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
          Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
          Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
          Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
          New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
          Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

          "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

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          • #20
            Jess, They probably got that quote from somewhere. I know of many people with scoliosis who live to a ripe old age so I'm taking it with a grain of salt. Joy

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            • #21
              My maternal grandmother had it, and not just in her elderly years. She had 5 kids in 5 years (1 set of twins) and I'm sure that didn't help. She always used to tell me how she never had milk to drink. When my mom was growing up, she says that my GM used to say she was 'short-waisted' and clothes never fit. By the time my GM was in her later years, she was all twisted up and compressed and a spinal mess. Her last 15 years were painful. When I found out that my scoliosis had progressed, I vowed that would never end up like my poor grandmother, and I wanted the best surgeon I could find to do the surgery.

              My 3 kids ALL have scoliosis. The boys (19 and 17) have slight curves and hopefully won't progress any futher. My youngest, a 10 year old girl, has very slight curves and I'm PRAYING she doesn't progress.

              I have no doubt that this is hereditary. In the past I have had terrible guilt that I passed my lousy condition on to all of my kids. I never dreamed that my boys would inherit it, I was originally only worried about my daughter.
              __________________________________________
              Debbe - 50 yrs old

              Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
              Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

              Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
              Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
              Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

              Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
              Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

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              • #22
                Scoliosis genetic?

                Let me be the dissenting voice in this thread.

                Heredity probably does play a role in Scoliosis as it does in nearly all disease.

                But even if genes are involved that doesn't mean that Scoliosis is a "genetic" disease caused by heredity. It is much more likely that "Scoliosis genes" create susceptability to something harmful in the environment.

                For example Leprosy is caused by a bacterial infection but your genes play a role in how you fight it off.
                Host Gene That Makes People Vulnerable To Leprosy Discovered

                Another example is Type 1 Diabetes. Type 1 runs in families but recent evidence points to a virus as the cause.
                Study Of Human Pancreases Links Virus To Cause Of Type 1 Diabetes

                Although Scoliosis hits some families very hard most cases occur sporadically throughout the population. In addition twin studies show that Scoliosis is not 100% concordant.

                This 2007 study from Denmark found that Scoliosis was just 13% concordant among identical twins.
                Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in twins: a population-based survey.

                Regardless of the actual number Scoliosis is not 100% concordant which indicates that the environment plays a role in Scoliosis. This environmental component is currently unknown. Once scientists discover it they'll eradicate this variable through vaccination or some other method. Our genes will be the same, but Scoliosis will be in the history books.

                Comment


                • #23
                  Originally posted by Dingo View Post
                  This 2007 study from Denmark found that Scoliosis was just 13% concordant among identical twins.
                  This study has been dismissed in the literature by at least some researchers. It is garbage in, garbage out for obvious reasons and should be retracted by the journal in my opinion. It is not heplful to continually cite discredited studies.

                  The actual observed concordance between identical twins is ~75% as determined by much better studies that the Danish study. The fact that it isn't 100% is likely explained by not following these subjects over a long enough time period and that epigenetic changes can affect scoliosis presentation. In other words, it is a sampling design error most likely.

                  ETA: The extemely high concordance between identical twins is consistent with all the observations noted in this thread about how scoliosis cases are usually not isolated instances in most families.
                  Last edited by Pooka1; 02-09-2010, 11:19 AM.
                  Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                  No island of sanity.

                  Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                  Answer: Medicine


                  "We are all African."

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    My family's genetics re: scoliosis progression

                    We've all heard the 1-3 degree progression of some scoliotic curves in adulthood.

                    My mom just passed away(Jan 25). I did physical care to the end. Her back, which appeared straight to me most of her life, showed a significant curve on a recent x-ray, and a new rib hump at age 93. An x-ray of her back when I was young showed her having a mild curve.

                    My sister (age 70) who is very athletic-hikes and bike rides 40miles at a time. I notice her back getting worse. It never showed before.

                    I had the worse case.

                    My girl cousin(maternal side) has a painful lumbar curve- getting worse.

                    My brother (age 65) has known about his scoliosis(doesn't show much) but needed epidural injections for pain (very overweight though).

                    Though some curves continue to definitely progress throughout life surgery might not be needed if a person stays reasonable comfortable into advanced old age and general health is not impacted--like breathing in my case or severe pain.
                    Last edited by Karen Ocker; 02-09-2010, 05:04 PM.
                    Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
                    Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

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                    • #25
                      Karen, I'm sorry for your huge loss.
                      Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                      No island of sanity.

                      Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                      Answer: Medicine


                      "We are all African."

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Karen - Also sorry for your loss. My dad passed Dec 18th. Sharon is right - the loss is huge. ((hugs))

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